Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game
A one-club city, Bologna has celebrated more titles than Rome, Florence or Naples – although most of these successes were pre-war. The last came in 1964, a play-off win over Inter, crowned European champions a few days before.
This flagship club, Bologna FC, represent one of Italy’s most convivial cities.
The club was founded in 1909 by the Bologna Tourist Circle at a bar belonging to the local Ronzani beer company, at what was via Spaderie, near via Rizzoli and Orefici. Neither bar nor street exist today.
Then as now, the city of Bologna was an international seat of learning, home to Europe’s oldest university. Key to the local development of the game was Bohemian Emilio Arnstein, who had already founded Black Star FC in Trieste, and Swiss dentist Louis Rauch. Both would serve the burgeoning club on and off the pitch.
At that time, foreign and domestic students would meet to play pick-up games at the Prati di Caprara park west of town. Among their numbers was Antonio Bernabéu, brother of Santiago who would later transform Real Madrid.
It was Arnstein who convinced the students, many of them members of local Spanish and Swiss Colleges, to play an organised game, wearing the red-and-blue shirts of the Swiss one. Thus the management of Bologna FC was taken from the hands of the local administrators who had originally met at the Ronzani.
In 1913 Bologna moved to the legendary Stadio Sterlino, on what was via Toscana (now via Murri) south-east of town. Rebuilt after World War I, the Sterlino was where the club took on Italy’s best and rarely lost. Foreign influence was maintained when Austrian coach Hermann Felsner arrived, answering an ad placed by Bologna in the Viennese press.
Playing a Danubian style and starring later World Cup hero Angelo Schiavio, Bologna won two titles in the 1920s. With a new stadium, the Littoriale (later Dall’Ara), built in 1927, Bologna had not only moved back to the west of town but the city became a European football hub. While the club won two Mitropa Cups, the stadium hosted several internationals, including two games for the 1934 World Cup.
Under Hungarian coach Árpád Weisz, Bologna became Italy’s top club in the immediate run-up to the war, before Weisz was murdered in Auschwitz.
Bologna were still a big name after the war, rarely out of the top ten in Serie A. Although the club later slipped down to Serie B, even Serie C, the importance of the city and stadium to the Italian game were recognised when Bologna was chosen as a 1990 World Cup venue. This was where David Platt scored his famous last-minute goal against Belgium.
Despite a lack of success since – Bologna missed out on a UEFA Cup Final place on away goals in 1999 – the club retains its renown, its stadium a living remnant of bygone days.
Getting Around
Arriving in town, local transport and timings
Bologna’s Marconi Airport is 6km (3.7miles) north-west of town, connected by BLQ shuttle (€6, every 12mins, journey time 20mins) to the train station.
The same company runs city buses (€1.30 single from tabacchi/€1.50 on board, €5 giornaliero day pass). The Marconi Express monorail was introduced in 2020, providing a direct 7.5min journey to town.
A taxi (+039 051 372727) to the station should cost €15 plus baggage, €18 at night.
Where to Drink
The best pubs and bars for football fans
Student-focused Bologna is a busy bar town and pubs abound, particularly on and around via Zamboni, where you find The Cluricaune and nearby Empire English Pub.
Football-focused Celtic Druid sits on via Caduti di Cefalonia in the heart of town.
There’s another pub hub between the Basilica and the western edge of the city centre. On via del Pratello, the Birreria del Pratello overflows with Steins of classic German brews while Mutenye is a bohemian bar with TV matches scheduled and followed.
Nearby, BrewDog is the Bologna branch of this successful global ale chain based in Aberdeen. On via Paradiso, The Irish Times is the oldest pub in town, and puts up a maxi screen for big matches. Towards Porta Lame, welcoming Madigan’s Irish Pub is arguably the most revered of the genre in town, with late opening hours.
Close by, Birroteca La Tana del Luppolo offers an astonishing number of artisanal brews. In the same vicinity on via San Rocco, Il Punto shouldn’t be missed, a lively, independent craft-beer bar with eight draught options on rotation.
On the other side of the station where via Serlio meets via Raimondi, the Black Fire Pub shows pay-TV games in HD.
Finally, opposite the station, AB is a simple bar that also sells BFC souvenirs, an ideal pitstop for a welcome or farewell beer.
Where to stay
The best hotels for the stadium and city centre
Bologna Welcome has a room-booking service.
Opposite the station stands a row of hotels, including the upscale Starhotels Excelsior Bologna, quality Milan-based chain UNAHOTELS Bologna Centro and four-star chain Mercure Bologna Centro.
Slightly further towards town, the four-star NH Bologna De La Gare offers a late check-out on Sundays while round the corner on via dell’Indipendenza, Hotel Internazionale shows matches on a big screen in its cocktail bar. On the same street, the Grand Hotel Majestic Già Baglioni, a converted palace, lives up to its billing, and Tre Vecchi feels like old-school Italy. In the same local Zan Hotel group, Il Canale on via Bertiera is more basic and affordable. Alongside, the Paradise Bologna is in similar vein.
On via Galliera, the Atlantic offers comfortable three-star rooms.
Deeper into town on via della Zecca, Albergo Centrale also has standard, cheaper rooms, as does La Magnolia B&B at via Andrea Costa 45, halfway between town and the stadium.
By the stadium at via Porrettana 31, the B&B Meloncello is a smart, studio apartment more suited to culture seekers than football fans.
